ATLANTA, Ga. — The Tuskegee Golden Tigers men's basketball team faced a tough challenge in the HBCU All-Star Challenge, falling 64-54 to the Fayetteville State Broncos at L.S. Epps Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. The loss places Tuskegee at 0-4 overall as they continue to search for their first win of the season.
The opening half saw a competitive start, with both teams trading leads early. Fayetteville State capitalized on Tuskegee turnovers to take control midway through the half, using an effective inside-outside game. The Broncos led by as many as 11 points, entering the halftime break up 33-22.
Tuskegee's Caleb Simmons led the first-half effort with 11 points, while Tairell Fletcher added seven points and three rebounds. Despite their efforts, Tuskegee struggled to find consistency, shooting 45.0 percent from the field and just 57.1 percent from the free-throw line in the opening frame.
The Golden Tigers mounted a comeback attempt early in the second half, sparked by a 13-4 scoring run that narrowed the gap to just two points with under 10 minutes remaining. Fayetteville State, however, responded with a 9-0 run of their own, pushing the lead back to double digits.
Tuskegee's offensive output improved in the second half, with the team scoring 32 points, but Fayetteville State's defensive pressure and free-throw accuracy down the stretch secured the win for the Broncos.
For Tuskegee,
Kusamae Draper led all scorers with 16 points and added five rebounds, while
Kevin Sesberry chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds.
For the Broncos, Caleb Simmons scored a game-high 18 points to go with six rebounds and four steals while shooting an efficient 50 percent from the floor. Tairell Fletcher contributed 15 points, five assists, and four rebounds, while Myles Pierre provided a spark off the bench with 12 points, going 4-for-5 from the field.
Fayetteville State capitalized on their ability to convert turnovers into points, scoring 23 points off Tuskegee's mistakes. The Broncos' 20-of-26 performance from the free-throw line further added to their advantage, while Tuskegee's struggles at the charity stripe proved costly.
Despite the loss, Tuskegee showed glimpses of strong defensive effort, recording 11 steals and holding Fayetteville State to just 15.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
The Golden Tigers will look to regroup as they continue their non-conference schedule. Tuskegee is set to face another challenge in their upcoming matchup, hoping to secure their first victory and build momentum for the remainder of the season.
How to Follow the Golden Tigers
For complete information on Tuskegee Golden Tigers Men's Basketball, visit
GoldenTigerSports.com and follow the team's social media channels on
Twitter,
Instagram and
Facebook.
